The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing water from seeping into a building, and in particular relates to a waterproofing system for a house.
The seepage of water into a building has been a problem which constantly plagues the construction industry. This has been a problem for buildings which have basements as well as buildings built on a slab. In particular, the seepage problem has plagued buildings having a below-ground foundation wall.
It is known that the foundation wall of a building is most often made from hollow concrete blocks or poured concrete. With blocks, water is able to pass from the exterior surrounding ground of the building through cracks, holes, natural pores, etc. in the block into hollow cavities of the block and thence to the basement floor. Even if the foundation wall is made from solid blocks or poured concrete, water may seep into the basement through cracks and by capillary action.
Numerous drainage systems and methods have been developed. In one known system, drain tiles having holes therein for receiving water are located around the outside perimeter of a building, namely, around the outside perimeter of the basement floor and in a deep trench at or below the level of the footer. The drain tiles form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. After a period of time, the drain tiles become non-functioning due to collapsing, blockage, separation, etc., and water accumulates at the bottom of the foundation wall, with a resultant build-up of hydrostatic pressure. This water then seeps through cracks, holes, pores, etc. in the foundation wall and into the basement. To correct this problem, the drain tile must be replaced. However, replacement of a non-functioning tile is a very cumbersome operation which requires digging a trench along the foundation wall. This is not only troublesome, it can cause shifting of the building and structural damage. Further, digging a trench requires a backhoe, operation of which would damage the adjacent lawn, etc. This is an extremely costly operation. Also, such drain tiles located outside the perimeter of the basement do not effectively handle water buildup beneath the basement floor.
Another system includes a trench formed along the inside of a foundation wall next to the footer and beneath the basement floor or the like. Perforated drain tiles are placed in the trench and form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. The drain tiles are surrounded by gravel. Drainage openings are provided in the bottom portion of the foundation wall beneath the basement floor. The water flows through these openings into the gravel and to the drain tile from which the water flows into a sewer. Such a system relies on the water to drain downwardly through the concrete blocks. If the blocks have cracks in the interior of the foundation wall, the water will seep through such cracks. Thus, this system is not particularly effective.
It would be desirable to provide a system which minimizes the above-identified problems in the prior art and handles water buildup beneath the building, eliminates hydrostatic pressure under the floor of the building, completely seals the exterior foundation walls, removes any hydrostatic pressure that accumulates at the outside base of the foundation, and directs water and moisture away from the foundation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved home waterproofing system which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others while meeting the above-stated needs and providing better and more advantageous overall results.
The present invention relates to a new and improved home waterproofing system. More specifically, the home waterproofing system is used to minimize seepage of water and moisture into a home.
The present invention may also be applied to different types of building structures, for example, ones having a below-ground poured concrete foundation, a below-ground concrete block foundation, or even those built on a slab. The system of the present invention is extremely effective in minimizing seepage of water into a building.
More particularly, in one embodiment, the present invention comprises a waterproofing system for draining water away from a building located in ground having a surface above which a portion of the building extends, the building having a footer and at least one wall extending vertically from the footer. The system comprises a first drain member located in a first trench provided in the ground outside the building. The first drain member extends adjacent at least a portion of the wall. A membrane comprises a first portion and a second portion. The first portion, which is secured to the second portion, forms a liner which lines at least a portion of the first trench to form a trough for capturing water flowing from the ground surface into the trench and for preventing water from flowing downwardly along the wall. The second portion is positioned adjacent to an outer surface of the wall along at least a portion of a height of the wall and extends toward the footer. The first portion of the membrane is thinner than the second portion and extends from the second portion at a location below an upper edge of the second portion. The membrane comprises a rubber material. A dampproofing coating can be positioned between the wall and the membrane second portion.
A base is located within the building. A second drain member is located in a second trench provided in the ground beneath the base adjacent a perimeter thereof. The second trench extends along at least a portion of the base and adjacent an inner surface of the wall. The first and second drain members each comprises a pipe for receiving water captured in the trenches and for conducting water away from the building. The first and second trenches comprise gravel filling which covers the first and second drain members. A liner is affixed to the inner surface of the wall and extends to the top surface of the footer. The second trench engages a portion of the liner.
A second embodiment of the present invention includes the membrane second portion extending to the footer, and a filler block which is positioned adjacent a seam formed between a top surface of the footer and a bottom surface of the wall. The filler block includes an angled surface to drain water away from the seam. If desired, one of the first portion and the second portion of the membrane is draped over the filler block.
A third drain member is located in a third trench provided in the ground beneath the base adjacent the perimeter thereof. The third trench extends along at least a portion of the base and is adjacent the outer surface of the wall. The third drain member also comprises a pipe for receiving water captured in the third trench and for conducting water away from the building.
A third embodiment of the present invention is used with existing or new slab foundations. A membrane extends to a footer and a filler block and is positioned adjacent a seam formed between a top surface of the footer and a bottom surface of the wall. The membrane is draped over the filler block and seals the footer. A drain member is located in a trench provided in the ground adjacent the perimeter of the footer. The trench extends along at least a portion of the footer and is adjacent an outer surface of the wall. The drain member has a pipe for receiving water captured in the trench and for conducting water away from the slab.
Still other aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.